The Organizer

Sponsored by John Swift / Rotary Peace Centers

Before its infamous demise following several highly-publicized scandals, ACORN was the largest community organization in the US. Wade Rathke, a former anti-war and welfare rights organizer had founded the organization in Little Rock in 1970, and over the next decades had shepherded its growth into a national political powerhouse for the poor. His entrepreneurial vision helped build ACORN – but internal conflict and external pressures led to its downfall. Drawing from a wealth of archival material and interviews, this is a film about people who have dedicated their lives to the often messy and always controversial job of building power for the powerless. 100 min. USA.